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Diane Black under fire over lax emissions testing, donations from diesel trucking company

Gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Diane Black is coming under fire for more than $200,000 in campaign contributions from affiliates with a Tennessee-based trucking company and her efforts to continue a loophole for some lax emissions testing.

Gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Diane Black is coming under fire for receiving more than $200,000 in campaign contributions from people affiliated with a Tennessee-based trucking company and her efforts to continue a loophole for some lax emissions testing.

According to the story, Black was instrumental in continuing a provision that allows rebuilt diesel engines, using what are called glider kits, to be exempt from modern emissions controls.

Not having modern emissions controls results in significantly more air pollution. But a Tennessee Tech University study paid for by Byrdstown-based Fitzgerald Glider Kits downplayed the environmental impact of the rebuilt trucks.

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Congresswoman Diane Black announced that she will be running for Governor of Tennessee.

The study prompted an internal investigation at the Cookeville university. Tennessee Tech’s faculty senate condemned the research in a Jan. 30 resolution, saying it had damaged the university’s reputation.

Further, the story noted Fitzgerald business affiliates, executives and family members donated at least $225,000 to Black’s gubernatorial campaign last fall.

The Gallatin-based Republican has amassed $2.7 million in campaign contributions since entering the race in August.

In a statement to the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee, Chris Hartline, a spokesman for Black’s campaign, said Black was simply standing up for a constituent.

"There are very few companies willing to try and keep manufacturing jobs in rural Tennessee today and Diane fights hard to support the few that do," Hartline said. "Diane does her best to help all constituents that walk through her door, regardless of their politics — that’s her job.

"She has fought tirelessly against executive overreach and for the preservation of manufacturing jobs in Tennessee, including those of the hundreds of Middle Tennesseans who work in this industry.

"Diane has every confidence that sensible regulators can promote safety and American manufacturing at the same time," Hartline continued. "In this case, the Obama administration attempted to impose a rule that it had no legal authority to impose and Diane was proud to oppose it. It’s a rule she’s fought against since 2014."

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Black also introduced a bill in 2015 that would have blocked the Obama administration's efforts to close the loophole. That bill ultimately failed.

But after President Donald Trump’s election, Black worked with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt to ensure the rebuilt diesel engines remained exempt, the story notes.

Although it is not yet clear what impact the findings may have on this year’s governor’s race, the Tennessee Democratic Party quickly weighed in on the matter.

"It is extremely disturbing that Representative Black would put families at higher risk of lung cancer and asthma in exchange for campaign contributions," said party chair Mary Mancini.

Mancini called Black's actions a form of "pay to play" politics, adding, "This is just another example of Representative Black abusing the trust of her constituents and using her elected position to benefit herself."

Hartline countered, saying, "It’s no surprise that the Tennessee Democratic Party doesn’t support manufacturing jobs in rural Tennessee."

Other candidates' reactions

Black's Republican and Democratic gubernatorial opponents had mixed reactions to the reports on Thursday.

Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, a Democrat, said, "You can be for clean air and clean water and still be pro-business. The two are not contradictory."

House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, also a Democrat, said he was disappointed to see "the interaction with various officials by (Black) and the resulting huge contribution to her gubernatorial campaign."

"I’m certainly not disparaging either action but the combination and connection of the two certainly gives a negative appearance," he said.

Fitzhugh said the fact that Tennessee Tech's involvement in the study raised questions of “misconduct in research” that he called troubling.

Although House Speaker Beth Harwell said she had yet to read the story, in an interview she simply said, "disappointing."

An adviser with Williamson County businessman Bill Lee's campaign said they would not comment.

Boyd also has received about $16,000 in donations linked to the company.

Robert Fitzgerald, president and CEO of Fitzgerald Collision and Repair, an affiliate to the Fitzgerald line that began business in 2014, donated $4,000 for both the primary and general elections to the Boyd campaign.

Also, Fitzgerald Collision and Repair has given $4,000 to Boyd in each election. Fitzgerald’s address reported is the same Kingston address as the collision and repair company.

Robert Fitzgerald, who is the son of the owner of Fitzgerald Glider Kits, did not give to Black's campaign.

According to his disclosures, Boyd also received $5,000 in contributions from Terry Dotson, who identified himself as CEO of Worldwide Equipment, located in Kingston, Tennessee.

The New York Times story featured a Terry Dotson, who is president of Worldwide Equipment Enterprises, a Kentucky-based chain.

Business filings maintained by the secretary of state in both Kentucky and Tennessee list Terry L. Dotson as an affiliate with each company.

A 2017 business filing with the Kentucky secretary of state with Dotson's name as a director of Worldwide Equipment Enterprises has the same address he listed along with his contributions to Boyd.

In the past, Dotson has donated to several Tennessee Republicans, including the congressional committees of U.S. Reps. Marsha Blackburn and Scott DesJarlais, Gov. Bill Haslam, as well as Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

Complaint: Black had 'systematic disregard' for laws

On Thursday, Nashville resident Frank Hundley filed a sworn complaint with the state Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance regarding the contributions to Black.

In the complaint, Hundley, who is active with the Davidson County Democrats, alleged that several contributions to Black exceed the state's limits.

Hundley noted among several PACs that donated to Black, the sole donor was affiliated with the company. The campaign received several donations from entities with slight variations of the same name, Fitzgerald Peterbilt.

"It’s clear the Democrats are worried about going up against a strong conservative who fights for Tennessee’s rural communities in the general election," Hartline said. "Diane will continue to fight for manufacturing jobs in Tennessee. The Democrats can continue to fight for job-killing Obama-era regulations."

Tennessee Tech under scrutiny

Meanwhile, Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham said Thursday that he had ordered an investigation into the Fitzgerald-funded research. In an email sent to university faculty, he said the investigation would determine if the research broke with established policies.

“Our Tennessee Tech community shares the desire to ensure the academic research integrity of the university along with our reputation as an honest broker of knowledge and research initiatives,” Oldham said in the email.

Oldham said the university would not release further details on the research at this time.

University board chair Tom Jones voiced support for the investigation during a Thursday committee meeting.

“We have to let the investigation run its course,” Jones said. “As a board we certainly will demand that, I guess, a thorough and accurate investigation be done.”